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Business Briefs

Chambers set luncheon schedules

* The Soldotna Chamber of Commerce meets Tuesday at noon at Froso's. The scheduled speaker is Mike Frost with First National Bank of Alaska. For more information, call Michelle Glaves at 262-9814.

* The Kenai Chamber of Commerce meets Wednesday at noon at the Merit Inn. The scheduled speaker is Kenai Mayor Pat Porter. For more information call 283-7989.

Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide cost-share for farm tunnels

USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide cost-share for one high tunnel per farm with a maximum of 2,175 square feet of covered ground. Crops must be seeded or planted directly into the ground and cannot be in beds or pots. To meet program eligibility the ground must already be in production and meet EQIP and USDA program eligibility. A NRCS cost-shared structure will be part of a comprehensive conservation plan that also considers other resource concerns. For more information contact the USDA-NRCS Kenai Field Office at 283-8732 ext. 100 or ext. 106.

HEA accepting nominations for board of directors

Homer Electric Association accepting nominations from members interested in running for a seat on the cooperative's Board of Directors.

The cooperative's Board is made up of nine directors, three from each of the three districts that make up the service area.

This year, the District 1 (Kenai-Nikiski area) seat held by Kenai resident Tony Garcia will be on the ballot. In District 2 (Soldotna -Sterling area) the seat currently held by Sterling resident Debbie Debnam will be up for election and in District 3 (Ninilchik-Homer- Seldovia area) the seat formerly held Brian Hirsch of Homer will be contested. Mr. Hirsch resigned from the Board in June of 2009.

HEA directors are elected by district, with members voting only for the seat representing their respective district.

Members interested in being on the ballot must fill out a nomination packet that requires the candidate to gather at least 15 signatures from valid Homer Electric members that live in the district the candidate would represent. The nomination forms are available at HEA offices in Kenai and Homer and on-line at www.homerelectric.com

The deadline to submit the nomination packet is 5 p.m. on March 5. Completed nomination packets can be dropped off at either the Kenai or Homer HEA office.

Ballots will be mailed out to HEA members on April 2 and the results will be tabulated at the Annual Meeting on May 5 at Kenai Central High School.

For additional information contact Joe Gallagher at 907-283-2324.

Small business development center plans seminars

Typing And Computer Basics -- Alaska SBDC is partnering with New Frontier VOTECH to offer basic training in typing. These skills (know how to type or operate a computer) are required to enroll in the QuickBooks2009 class. Please call or e-mail Bunny at inblk@uaa.alaska.edu or 260-5629 for dates, fee and registration information.

Getting Started With Quickbooks -- Learn to use QuickBooks 2009 as the best tool to collect and organize your business data so you're prepared when tax time rolls around. This four-session, 11-chapter class is from 5:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, Feb. 16, 23 and March 2 and 9 in Suite 12 at AK SBDC in the Red Diamond Center. Registration and $155 fee is due by Feb. 10.

Building A Business Plan -- Learn methods to establish budgets, monetary amounts or percentages and how to evaluate your successes and failures. Attend the AK SBDC seminar on Feb. 11 from noon to 3 p.m. in Suite 12 at the Red Diamond Center on Kalifornsky Beach Road. The fee is $25. Registration and fee due by Feb. 8.

Grant Writing Basics -- On Feb. 11 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., Loretta Spalding will walk you through the basics to successfully launch your grant writing skills. This 3-hour class is $40 will be at the AK SBDC office in the Red Diamond Center. Fee and registration is due by Feb. 8.

SBA 8(A) Workshop -- Sam Dickey, Deputy District Director for the U.S. SBA Anchorage office, will host a workshop to provide information on the SBA 8(a) program. Register online at www.aksbdc.org, click workshops, Kenai Peninsula, Sign Me Up, to attend the Feb. 24 workshop. You may register for the morning session or the afternoon session. Contact Bunny for questions at or 260-5629

To register online for a workshop, visit www.aksbdc.org and click workshops, Kenai Peninsula, Sign Me Up. For more information, contact Bunny at 260-5629 or e-mail inblk@uaa.alaska.edu.